Beauty and the Beast (10 page)

Butch’s sinister laugh filled the cell and was soon joined by Ken’s. “True dat. True dat.” They calmed. From the corner of his bottom bunk, Butch quickly scanned the area for listeners. “I was supposed to steal them paintin’s out of her place. They worth a boatload of money.” He shrugged. “I had to punish the bitch for coming home early.” He shook his head. “I got carried away. Beating her ass was better than sex.” He grabbed his crotch. “Damn, even the thought has me hard as hell.”

Though disgusted, Ken remained calm and bobbed his head as if he could relate. “That had to be sweet.”

“Oh yeah,” Butch concurred as he stroked himself. His voice took on a dreamy quality. “I’d stripped her and had her all laid out on the flo’.”

Glad Butch had stopped watching him and was staring at the ceiling, Ken turned his head so he wouldn’t see Butch gratifying himself while he talked about how he’d butchered that poor woman.

“My pants were down, and I was ready to handle my erection,” he joked, then became angry. “That’s when that old coot came in.”

Ken returned his attention to Butch. “Aw, man!” he exclaimed, elated Butch hadn’t had the chance to rape her.

“Aw, man, is right! He hit my ass with a lamp. Almost knocked me out. I had to get the hell out of there.”

“What about the paintings?”

“I had to leave ’em behind. That bastard had called the cops, man. I didn’t even make it out of the complex. My ass been here ever since.”

 
“Now that’s a damn shame.” Ken bounced his fist on his leg. “What happened to citizens mindin’ they own business?”

“That shit ain’t funny.”

Ken laughed. “Oh yeah, it was.”

“Well, I ain’t worried ’bout no witnesses. I’ll bet my left nut his ass won’t testify. I’m gettin’ off.”

“So how much were you gettin’ for them paintings?”

“Two big ones each!” Butch punched his fist into the palm of his hand. “I can’t believe I blew that easy money.”

“Two grand each. Damn! Aw, man, give me a piece of the action. Who was your hookup?”

“Aw, hell naw!” He paced about the small cell. “He’s my bread an’ butta.”

“Look, man. The trial is like three weeks away. I’ll be outta here any day. I can go get them paintings. I’ll even give you a cut so you’ll have a little somethin’ waitin’ for yo’ crazy ass when you get out.”

Butch ran his thick hands over his filthy hair. “We split fifty-fifty.”

“Sixty-forty. I’m the one taking the risk, and I’m pretty sure I can find out who the connection is once I get out. It’ll just take some extra diggin’. If I have ta dig, then I’m keepin’ it all.”

Butch scratched his scraggly black beard as he leaned against the bars. “The guy’s name is Jay. I don’t know his last name. But I do know he’s into that shark Marco for a few hundred grand. You snoop around Marco, you’ll find Jay.” He described Jay to Ken and told him where to find Marco.

“I’ll take care of everything.”

“Just a second.” The bed creaked as Nefertiti reached across to the dresser for her veil and gloves. “Who is it?”

“Victoria, darling.”

She quickly donned her sky blue veil and gloves. “Okay, I’m ready, Auntie.” When she was younger and visited her godmother, she’d heard Bruce call Victoria Auntie, so Nefertiti had picked it up.

Victoria cracked open the door, then a few seconds later entered with a food tray. “Hungry?”

“I’m not sick, Auntie. Stop putting yourself out for me.” She flattened the wrinkles on the cream comforter. “Take a seat and rest yourself.” The nightstand clock displayed seven. Where did the time go? She smiled; dreams of making love with Bruce had taken up the time.

“This is no trouble, darling.”

The scent of homemade vegetable soup and cornbread muffins wafted from the food tray. “I wasn’t hungry a second ago, but I’m quickly changing my mind.”

“I was beginning to think you’d never wake.” Victoria tsked as she placed the tray on the dresser. “Are you ready to eat?” she asked testily.

“I think I’ll pass for now.”

She pointed at Nefertiti. “You’re going to stop this foolishness, you hear me, child?” She snatched off the sheet that was draped over the antique bureau mirror. “Cover yourself all you want from the outside world, but not from yourself.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am”

“Don’t ma’am me. Get over here.”

The day of reckoning had finally come, thought Nefertiti. Her loving, kind, no nonsense godmother was about to put her foot down. The placement of said foot was what worried Nefertiti. She stood beside Victoria.

“When I was a teen, I was so jealous of your mother. All the boys wanted to be close to the girl with those pretty eyes.” Victoria laughed lightly. “I don’t even think they knew her real name.”

“Her eyes are incredible.”

“Your mother’s eyes have nothing on yours.” Victoria nodded toward the mirror.

The mirror was too scary for Nefertiti to dare even glance at. “These aren’t my eyes.”

“Why not? They are just as much your God given eyes as before the operation.”

For the first time, Nefertiti really looked into her gift from God and didn’t see what she’d feared, a stranger’s eyes gawking at her. Instead, she saw the warmth of her mother’s brown eyes and the amber flecks of love that floated in them. “I’ve been so ungrateful.”

“You’ve been hurt. You can’t stay in the pain.” She gently tugged Nefertiti’s veil. “If you want others to accept who you are, maybe you should start trying to accept who you are. All of who you are. The inner and outer beauty.”

“I want to. It’s just so hard. I know vanity is a sin, but this… this… I tell myself that looks don’t matter, that what’s on the inside that counts, but…” She trailed off.

“But they do,” Victoria whispered. “This isn’t an overnight process, and it won’t be easy, but you have to start in order to finish.”

Nefertiti walked over to the window. The grounds behind Maxwell Manor were just as spectacular as those in the front. “You really love flowers.” The oriental rock garden was surrounded by a flower garden.

“The sun will be setting soon. Why don’t you go out and enjoy the rest of the evening?”

“I think I may.”

“Good, girl.” Victoria headed for the door. “Oh, one more thing, darling.” She turned toward Nefertiti. “Dr. Herman said he’d stop by tomorrow night around eight for your and Bruce’s appointments.”

“I feel bad about making him come all the way out here. Maybe we can do it by phone.”

“No. And I expect you to go into the office after this initial visit. I won’t allow you to hide.”

There was no use in arguing with Victoria. “Yes, ma’am. Where’s Bruce?”

“My sister called a few hours ago, and he left right after that.” Disappointment tainted her voice and sadness darkened her eyes. “He probably thought she’d come to visit. Or should I say, beg for more money.” She shook her head. “I don’t know what’s wrong with Alexis. She’s always been so self-centered, but this is getting out of hand. I’m about ready to tell her not to come around.” A heavy burden seemed to weigh her shoulders down. “Let me get out of here.”

Nefertiti wanted to lighten Victoria’s load, but wasn’t sure how. Though she’d never seen more than a photo of Alexis, Nefertiti had heard more than enough about the woman.

 
“Those were the two longest months of my life!” Ken, a private investigator, sat across the table from his boss. They had already eaten their dinner and were still discussing Ken’s findings. He was to get close to Butch and find out what had really happened. Thanks to Bruce’s money and connections, a few months ago Bruce had arranged for Ken and Butch to share a cell.

“I’ll bet.” Bruce took a business envelope out of his inner suit pocket. “Here’s a little bonus for you.”

There was no way Ken would have taken this job if he had known how psycho Butch was. “I’m just glad to be out of there.” He placed the envelope in his back jeans pocket. Bruce never did anything small, and the news from the prison was good; thus, he knew the bonus would be some ridiculous amount.

“I want you to find this Jay.”

Glad the dangerous part was over, he nodded. “I’m on it, boss.”

 
It feels good to be outside.
Nefertiti reached forward, cupped a red rose, and inhaled deeply.
Mmmm, glorious
. She sighed.
Why have I denied myself this pleasure?
She tried to feel the petals of the rose between her fingers.
These dang blasted gloves are working my last nerve.
She snatched off the gloves and put them in her pocket, then touched the softness of the rose.

“Hey, beautiful.”

Nefertiti just about jumped clean out of her skin. A thorn from the rosebush snagged her finger and drew blood. She turned to stare Bruce down. “You scared me half to death.” She shook her hand as if the pain would fall off. “How can someone your size sneak up on people?”